Secret of the Sith
by Smenzer
Summary: Set during Episode III. The Sith are powerful vampires and the Jedi Order has lost the secret of slaying them. Anakin becomes one to save Padme's life. What will the Jedi do? Anakin-Padme
1. Chapter 1

Secret of the Sith

Title: Secret of the Sith

Author: Smenzer

Rating: PG

Pairing: None

Genre: Drama and mystery with a bit of horror

Teaser: Set during Episode 3, Anakin and Obi-Wan investigate a possible new Sith ability.

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine. They belong to George Lucas. This is just for fun.

Author's Note: I watched Episode III the other day (as I was watching all 8 dvds in order, one dvd a night – 8 because I include volumes 1 and 2 of Clone Wars) and thought up this crazy idea, mainly due to Ani's red eyes when he kills the Trade Federation guys. Palpy's new ugly look seems to fit with the idea, too, so here it is. Oh, this story will have a Twilight Zone twist to it. Totally AU of course.

000

Obi-Wan Kenobi left Dex's Diner and entered the busy stream of pedestrian traffic, his brown hood pulled up over his head. The pleasant meal and conversation with his old buddy Dex had been the only real enjoyable time he had had since the Clone Wars had started. It was always one problem after another, with no real rest in between. But at least Count Dooku was dead, the Sith cut down by his former Padawan. Anakin had passed his trials and was now a Jedi Knight. Still, Grievous was on the loose and was causing a ton of trouble. His airspeeder was parked just ahead and soon he would be on his way back to the Jedi Temple, his little mini vacation taking less than an hour.

Ever watchful, Obi-Wan scanned the crowds around him as he sensed something wasn't right. There was a disturbance in the Force, like a black inky stain that was rippling outward from this area. Focusing on it, he sensed it was nearby, down a side street. Turning, the Jedi moved in that direction. A wide collection of motley shops lined the street on both sides, selling everything from used Speederbikes to imported herbs and spices. The crowds here were thick, shoulder-to-shoulder and consisted of beings from a thousand worlds. They wore a wide variety of clothing, but more than half of the crowd had their faces hidden by cowls just as he did. Finding a single person in this crowd would test his Jedi abilities to the max and he was doubtful if he could succeed. Still, he had to try.

Could it be the other Sith he sensed? And had Count Dooku been the apprentice or the Master? The Jedi Council was sure the other Sith they were searching for was here, on Coruscant. Eyes narrowed, he scrutinized the moving traffic, searching for whatever it was he had sensed.

There!

A particular inky black robe seemed to grip his attention, his blue eyes locked on it. The person in question was on the far side of the street from where he was. Whoever it was, they moved through the bustling crowds quickly and with a grace that made Obi-Wan feel clumsy in comparison, the heavy traffic parting before the other like waves. The Jedi tried to push his way closer to the mysterious stranger that emitted Dark Side ripples, but the crowds around him didn't cooperate. He received sharp elbows to his stomach, rude expressions and shouts of outrage as he stepped on a few feet in his haste to move across the traffic lane at a diagonal. Hopping through a thin gap that appeared before him, he bumped into a woman and caused her to drop her pile of parcels. Apologizing as quickly as he could, he called the boxes to his hands with the Force before they could be trampled by the masses. Shoving them rudely into her arms, he tried to hurry on his way and almost ran headlong into a towering Wookie. He allowed the furry alien to pass and then jumped into another narrow gap between two humans moving in opposite directions. Desperate, he scanned for the possible Sith he had spotted.

For a long moment, Obi-Wan had feared he had lost his mysterious quarry, but then he saw the familiar black hood and the long swirling cloak again just ahead and to the side. The cloak flowed with a strange grace, swirling outward behind the stranger's black boots. The thought that it looked familiar, that he had seen it once before tugged at his mind but he dismissed it. Surely there were hundreds of cloaks that looked just like that one on Coruscant… "Blast! Why doesn't this crowd move for me as they do for him?"

Craning his neck to see over the heads of the crowd that still separated him from his target, the Jedi noticed that there was a narrow alley just ahead between two towering buildings. Worried that the Sith might attempt to disappear down the unfamiliar gap, Obi-Wan shoved his way forward. Luck was with him for a few brief seconds and a clear path opened almost to the other side of the bustling street. Dashing down it before it closed up again, the Jedi allowed a small smile of satisfaction. The maybe Sith was just ahead now, a few paces ahead of him.

Reaching the alley, the mysterious target turned and grinned at the Jedi.

Upon seeing the person's face, Obi-Wan stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth hanging agape. Those eyes, that face… "No, it can't be!"

In the few seconds of Obi-Wan's shock, the mysterious figure slipped into the alley and disappeared from sight.

Snapping out of his astonishment, Obi-Wan dashed to the mouth of the alley and peered within. The alley was short, no more than a few body lengths really and it dead ended against the side of another towering skyscraper. Yet there was not a single soul in sight!

"That can't be right! I _saw_ him come in here!" Obi-Wan hurried into the alley, a wild look in his normally calm blue eyes. Carefully he scanned the three separate durasteel walls for openings and saw none at all. Nor were there any windows or obvious trapdoors on the floor. The three buildings were smack up against each other as well, so there wasn't even a fingerbreadth between them. In several places the steel-gray durasteel walls were marked with odd scribbings of graffiti, but the Jedi ignored the marks as unimportant to his search. Junk littered the alley as well: broken bottles, empty food containers, twisted scrap metal from broken droids and bits of old wires. Pieces of debris scraped against his boots and he kicked it away, annoyed. "Where the Sith did he go? People can't just vanish into the thin air!"

Rubbing his beard, the Jedi sighed. "Perhaps I'm starting to imagine things, for I possibly couldn't have seen who I thought I did…"

Giving the alley a final look, he turned around and departed reluctantly back towards his airspeeder. His thoughts in turmoil, he climbed into the vehicle and lifted upward into the traffic lanes. Should he report this sighting to his fellow Jedi Council members or should he remain silent? Although he was now on the Council, he never had felt all that sure of himself and had always second-guessed his own actions. Often in battle this didn't occur, but in other situations like this…

"They'll probably think I've gone crazy, snapped from too much war…" the Jedi muttered to himself. And what if it was true? He had just gone through a nerve-wracking ship crashing where they had saved the Chancellor and landed just a half of ship. Who wouldn't be affected by something like that? But then, he was a Jedi and near death experiences were practically an everyday occurrence.

Still, he should tell someone, get it off his shoulders. Who should he tell? He thought about the matter as he landed in his familiar parking space at the Jedi Temple and jumped out of the speeder. Deciding on Anakin, Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to determine where his companion turned brother was. Feeling out his location was a snap and so he set out towards their quarters. Technically Anakin had his own quarters now that he was a full Jedi Knight but sometimes he preferred his old Padawan room, which didn't bother Obi-Wan at all really. He just wished the two of them could be a bit closer, as sometimes he worried that Anakin had problems that he was keeping bottled up inside. What those could be, Obi-Wan had no idea but it was clear something was troubling his young friend.

Reaching his quarters, the Jedi palmed the door open and went in. "Anakin, could I speak to you for a moment?"

"What is it, Master?" Anakin asked as he appeared from his old bedroom, looking tired. His face was drawn and there appeared to be dark circles under his eyes, circles that hadn't been there just the other day.

"Anakin, are you all right?" Obi-Wan asked, concerned and truly surprised. Had landing the ship strained him more than he had known? Or had it been the long hours with the politicians, praising him for rescuing the Supreme Chancellor? "I haven't seen you this tired in a long, long time…"

"I just had a bad dream the other night, that's all. I didn't get very much sleep after that I'm afraid…" Anakin admitted as he lowered himself onto the small sofa in Obi-Wan's quarters. "I'll be OK, I just thought that sleeping here…"

"Well, you're welcome here anytime you want, of course." Obi-Wan said warmly as he lowered himself onto the sofa next to his former apprentice. "Do you want to tell me about it? It might make you feel better…"

"I already spoke to Master Yoda and he relieved some of my anxieties…" Anakin replied as he shifted slightly so he could see Obi-Wan better. "Did you want to discuss something? Is there any news on General Grievous? He was right there, before us! I should have sliced him down when I had the chance! If only I had been faster, this war would be over already…."

Anakin hung his head, his shoulder-length wavy brown hair hiding his face somewhat.

"Is that's what's troubling you, Anakin, that Grievous got away?" Obi-Wan asked, concerned. "None of us are perfect. Why, I even find myself questioning my own sanity…"

Anakin raised his head quickly at the words, surprise clear in his blue eyes. "You, Master? But you're the most stable, sane Jedi I know!"

"I'm not so sure about that…" Obi-Wan remarked glumly. Although he trusted Anakin with his life, he had never been very good at sharing his thoughts and feelings, and now doubt chewed at his mind and soul. "I don't even know if I should tell you this…"

"Tell me." Anakin pleaded, imploring with his eyes as he reached out and grasped Obi-Wan's hand. "I won't think you're insane, if that's what's troubling you…"

The older Jedi glanced down at how Anakin gripped his hand and sighed. Anakin had always been one of those touchy-feely people while he preferred to remain untouched, unless touching was required. He supposed the young man's odd habits were the result of living on Tatooine and actually having a mother for many long years. Still, he felt ridiculous spilling this, as he knew intellectually it was impossible. "I … I thought I saw Darth Maul today…"

"Maul?" Anakin gasped, shocked. "I thought you killed Maul, sliced him in half…"

"I did!" Obi-Wan pulled his hand away and leaned back against the sofa's firm but soft backing, his arms crossed against his chest. The Jedi frowned. He remembered the fateful lightsaber battle all too clearly, the events scorched into his brain. Maul had killed Qui-Gon and had almost killed him as well, but he had managed to prevail at the last moment, slicing the evil Sith in half at the waist. Maul had never expected the move at all and had died with a stunned look of disbelief on his face. "I don't understand it any better than you, but I'm certain it was him. He had the same dark feel to him, that same swirling cloak…"

"Could it have been some other alien that just looked like Maul?" Anakin asked as he sought the most likely explanation.

"That's the first thing I thought of, but he had the Dark Side with him. I could feel its dark inky presence and that's why I started down that crowded street, to seek out its owner…" Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead, suddenly feeling very tired and exhausted. "He stopped before an alley and he turned to grin at me, as if he were baiting me on. But when I reached the mouth of the alley just a few heartbeats later, it was … empty. It was a dead-end, too. I searched for secret doors or openings, but I found nothing. It's as if he had vanished into the very air itself, like a ghost you see on some holovision movie…"

Anakin blinked his eyes, his face thoughtful as if he was thinking of something. "Perhaps … could the Sith have abilities the Jedi don't know? Maybe they have found some way to beat … death itself?"

"I doubt that." Obi-Wan huffed in annoyance. "But it's as good an explanation as anything else. I just hope it's not really possible, because if it is, we'll be up to our necks in Sith!"

Anakin leaned forward slightly. "Are you going to report this to the Jedi Council?"

"And have them think I'm insane?" Obi-Wan shook his head sadly. It had taken all of his courage to tell Anakin. He then turned his thoughts to the wonderful meal he had eaten at Dex's, including a single glass of his favorite alcoholic beverage. He didn't drink alcohol all that much, but on occasion he indulged in a drink or two. Surely the small glass of blue beverage hadn't been enough to make him intoxicated? No, he had been clear headed when he had seen and felt the person. "I did have a drink at Dex's…"

"And you can handle drinks very well, Master." Anakin replied honestly, his chin rose slightly. "I think you should research this possible Sith ability in the Jedi Archives. You excel at researching, far better than I do…"

Obi-Wan sprang forward, his blue eyes glowing with hope. "Yes, that's it! I'll research all the old Sith legends and myths to see if there is even the faintest reference to this odd thing I have witnessed today! Perhaps then I'll have something to tell the Council without appearing a total nutcase."

"I'll look into the matter as well…" Anakin said as he stood, stretching his muscles slightly. "Tomorrow. It's late and I need to get some sleep. If I find out anything, I'll be sure to tell you."

"Get some rest, my friend." Obi-Wan stood and laid a hand on Anakin's shoulder, feeling slightly better. Still, the idea that the Sith could do such a thing was profoundly disturbing. Surely it had just been a figment of his imagination? Obi-Wan followed Anakin to his old bedroom in their quarters. "Thank you for listening."

After watching Anakin disappear into his bedroom, Obi-Wan turned around and left his quarters for the Jedi Archives. He wasn't tired at all and a few hours of quiet research was just the thing he needed before retiring for the night. Over the years he must have spent thousands of hours buried deep in the datachip stacks the Archive housed, seeking out bits of arcane information. Truthfully, he enjoyed it. That was one of the reasons why he and Anakin made such a great team together. He enjoyed researching a mission while Anakin excelled at the more physical aspects: flying vehicles, fighting and so forth.

Still, he had thought he had known everything about the Sith… He remembered researching the Sith after Qui-Gon had fought that very first duel against Maul on Tatooine. There hadn't been very much, mainly just that the Sith used greed, anger and other dark emotions instead of the lighter feelings. Nor did the Jedi Archives carry detailed information on Sith beliefs, their studies or anything of that nature. Hurrying down the wide and gently curving staircase, Obi-Wan reached the doors to the Archives and passed within.

The elderly Librarian, a former Jedi Knight too old now for active duty, greeted him. "How may I help you this evening, Master Kenobi?"

"I need information on the Sith." He stated calmly to her, a gentle smile on his face. "Do we have anything beyond the common everyday facts on them?"

"I believe there are a few datachips on them in the Forbidden Section." She replied as she started to walk deep into the Jedi Archives.

Obi-Wan followed her, surprised. "We .. we have a Forbidden Section?"

"Yes, it's only for the Jedi Council members." She replied as she led him to a second durasteel door that sat just behind her librarian desk. Punching a code into the keypad right next to the door, it hissed open. "Even I'm not allowed in, but it's arranged in alphabetical order or so I've been told by my predecessor. There is also a number of datachip readers within, as the chips themselves are not allowed out of the room."

"Very well." Obi-Wan bowed to her politely and vanished into the new room. He had seen the door many times on his visit to the Archives but just had presumed it was a small room for the librarian's use. The door hissed shut behind him and he paused a moment to get his bearings. The room was much smaller than the regular archives, but still held a decent number of shelves. Quickly find the section that held the "S" subjects, he found a few datachips on the Sith. Grabbing them off the shelf, he made his way to a reader. It appeared for the moment that he had the entire Forbidden Section to himself, the room as silent as a tomb. Sitting down before the computer, Obi-Wan stuck the first datachip into the reader and called up its contents onto the screen. The words 'Types of Sith' jumped out at him.

"Types of Sith?" Obi-Wan asked the empty room as an odd feeling settled into the pit of his stomach. "I thought all Sith were the same, more or less…"

_There are two types of Sith. The first type is the most common and are Jedi that have fallen to the Dark Side due to forbidden emotions such as anger, hatred and greed. While difficult to defeat, they are easier to combat than the second type. _

_The second type is the Sith Lords that had ruled the galaxy over a thousand years ago, soaking the known worlds in blood and misery. Not many verified facts exist on them and accounts are varied, most collected from bits of myth and legend. Some human Sith Lords claimed to be several thousands of years old, but that is hard to believe. These Sith Lords were raised as Sith and seem to have had special supernatural abilities. Of course, the Jedi themselves could claim to have supernatural abilities as seen from the eyes of uneducated peoples. Many accounts insist these Sith could actually fly without the help of any devices and that they could literally hang in the air, suspended by nothing but their powers. They seemed to be immune to most weapons and hardly ever received physical wounds no matter how severely they were attacked. Their Dark Side powers were especially strong and could inflict huge amounts of damage on their opponents with just a thought – or so rumors say. Others rumors say that a rare gene may be responsible for these abilities. There are even a few myths that claim limbs that were chopped off would either regrow or reattach themselves, but this is often dismissed due to hysteria._

_It is not known if fallen Jedi can become the second type of Sith Lord, but most believe it is not possible._

Obi-Wan sat back in his chair and rubbed his beard, thinking. Could Maul have been this second type of Sith and no one had known? Had he actually been the Sith Master and Dooku had been his apprentice? He certainly had moved incredibly fast and smooth, that was for certain! In all his years as a Jedi, Obi-Wan had never seen anyone move so effortlessly, as if he had been gliding across the floor without effort. But how much of this information was fact and not just myth? There was no way to separate one from another, as the information from that dark time was incredibly spotty.

Could that dark time be returning? Would the streets once again run red with blood? And did that just simply mean war as they had now or did it mean something far worst? The records weren't exactly clear…

Standing, Obi-Wan called the datachips back to his hand as an icy chill ran down his back. This was truly disturbing news, even if it may be only made-up half-believed stories. If a Sith could truly live thousands of years and regrow limbs, why, they would be practically immortal!

"Perhaps its time I report this to the Jedi Council."

Obi-Wan replaced the chips on their shelf and then left the Jedi Archives in search of Master Yoda. He had read enough to convince himself that the figure of Maul he had seen must have been this second type of Sith. Surely Yoda would know what to do.

To be continued…

Author's Note: Just one more chapter should be enough to complete this story.


	2. Yellow and Red Eyes

Secret 2

Anakin lay awake in bed staring up at the dark ceiling, thinking of what Obi-Wan had just told him. He knew he really should get some rest as he truly was exhausted, but his Master's odd tale had given him a ray of hope. He just couldn't stand the idea of Padme dying in childbirth. He couldn't live without her. She was his life, his one true love, the reason why he kept breathing every day and why he got up each morning to carry on his duty as a Jedi Knight. He should tell Obi-Wan, he supposed, but he knew the older Jedi just wouldn't understand. He had never been in love, had never had a family or a mother. No, it would be totally foreign to his Master and so Anakin remained silent.

Had Palpatine told him the truth about Sith powers? Recently he had met the elderly man at the Opera House and he had told him a tale about an ancient Sith Lord, one who had known the secret to stopping death. Anakin had been unsure what to make of the story, if it was just a bedtime tale to tell children or if it had been true. He had thought and thought about it, growing more desperate but he had been unable to decide. And now Obi-Wan had told him he had seen Darth Maul…

Had it really been Maul? Did the Sith really possess the secret? It certainly seemed like it. With a sigh, he decided he had best go to see Palpatine tomorrow morning. Turning over onto his side, Anakin closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

000

"Saw Maul did you? Certain are you that him it was?" Master Yoda asked Obi-Wan from where he sat on his round plush cushion. "Disturbing this is. Type Two Sith we have, more natural they are, old race thought long gone. Destroying them difficult it is."

Obi-Wan sat on another round cushion across from Yoda. "I am relatively certain it was Maul, as he looked the same and possessed the same dark Force signature. But he vanished from sight, just as I told you."

"Darker things are now, worst than before."

"But Master, how do we destroy this other type of Sith?" Obi-Wan leaned forward, eager for any information that the elderly Jedi Master might possess. "I chopped him right in half and now he seems to be alive again! If a lightsaber can't kill them, than what can?"

"Lost to time the secret is." Yoda hung his head, saddened and depressed. "Not known this for millennia we have not. Feared this I have. Sith Lords of old, returned they have."

"But Master Yoda, what are we to do? How are we to fight them?" Obi-Wan asked, concern clear in his voice. "Surely there must be something that works on them…"

"Yes, something, but know what it is I do not." Yoda raised his head and looked at Obi-Wan, pointing a green finger at the Jedi. "Know this I do and heed it you will. Most powerful Sith red eyes they do have. Save you it might."

"They have red eyes?" Obi-Wan asked, surprised.

"Old legends agree on that they do." Yoda confirmed. "Meditate on this I must."

Frowning, Obi-Wan left Yoda's personal quarters to head to his own. Upon arriving, he tossed his brown Jedi robe onto the sofa and decided to look in on his former Padawan. With Anakin having emotional problems and being put under pressure due to Palpatine's crazy demands, this was not the best time for these red-eyed Sith to pop up. To his relief, Anakin was fast asleep on his side, one hand tucked under his head. His wavy brown hair was spread out across the pillow and his bare chest rose and fell with gentle breaths, the covers having slipped down to his stomach.

000

As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon the next morning, Anakin was rushing out of the door. Still pulling his Jedi cloak on, he hurried down the deserted corridors of the Jedi Temple until he reached his airspeeder. He knew he had to go see Palpatine before a long stream of politicians started filling the elderly man's schedule. Leaping into the vehicle, he sped away the very next moment as reckless as ever.

"I just _have_ to save Padme…" He whispered as he drove through the heavy traffic. Luckily, the building where Palpatine's office was located wasn't that far away. Landing his airspeeder, he leaped out and hurried in through the doors. Dashing down the long corridor, his dark cloak swirling out behind him, he skidded to a halt before the closed ornate doors to the Supreme Chancellor's office. Reaching out with the Force, he sensed his friend was within and he sighed in relief. Taking a moment to straighten his tunics, tabard and cloak from his mad dash, he tried to make himself presentable. The last thing he desired was to go in messy and wild-eyed like a madman. Closing his eyes, he meditated a moment and felt himself grow calm once more. Opening his blue eyes and only half believing what he was about to do, he pressed his finger to the door buzzer.

"Come in." Palpatine's voice called.

The doors swooshed open and Anakin strolled in. Palpatine was seated before his desk, a red screen before him. Turning slightly in his chair, the screen vanished as the elderly politician rose to his feet. A broad grin spread across his face. "Anakin, how nice to see you again!"

"That story you told me the other day…" Anakin started and then paused, still slightly uncertain. He knew full well that Sith teachings were forbidden to Jedi.

"The one about Darth Plagueis?" Palpatine asked innocently as he moved to stand beside the younger Jedi.

"Yes, that one. Is it possible to learn that power?" Anakin asked as they slowly strolled in the Supreme Chancellor's office towards the large windows and the incredible view. Of course, the view from the Jedi Council Chamber was much better, but that didn't matter to Anakin at the moment. In fact, the traffic lanes whizzing by and the cityscape didn't even really register in his mind. "Could I actually learn to stop someone from dying, someone I care about?"

"Not from a Jedi." Palpatine replied as he stared at the younger man. "Only a Sith Master could teach you that power. _I_ could teach you…"

"You? You know the ways of the Force?" Anakin asked, amazed. Reaching out with his powers, he scanned his elderly friend for any evidence of Force abilities. A shield seemed to drop from around the Chancellor and the inky darkness seeped out, the power staggering. The full meaning of it sunk into his head and his blue eyes narrowed. "You're the Sith Master we've been searching for!"

"Yes, it is true, Anakin. But only I can teach you how to save your wife from dying." Palpatine smiled at him, unafraid. Slowly he started to walk away from the large curved windows, his pace leisurely. "I can make you immortal and you can pass that gift on to her. And let me assure you it is _not_ something your Jedi could ever teach you, for they do not know it. They fear it, even."

"Immortal?" Anakin asked, automatically remembering Obi-Wan's story of spotting Darth Maul strolling down the street. "Were Maul and Dooku your apprentices?"

"Yes, they were. But alas, both have failed me so now they're just my minions." Palpatine admitted from where he stood on his blood red plush carpet. "Even now Count Dooku is recovering from that beheading you gave him and soon he'll be just as good as new. Wouldn't you like that ability as well, my young friend? Just think, if you happen to loose another limb in a lightsaber duel it can quickly reattach itself. No more prosthetics, no more horrible pain and suffering…"

Anakin considered Palpatine's words, wondering if it was all some sort of trick. It sounded too incredible to be true. The Jedi Council always said that the Sith lied about everything, that they twisted the truth until it was something else. Yet Obi-Wan had claimed to see Maul…

"Do you have any proof?" Anakin finally asked from where he stood rooted in front of the curved windows.

Palpatine grinned. "Of course I do, Anakin. I understand that it's hard for you to believe my words and I'm very willing to prove them to you. If you just accepted them at face value, well, I would be severely disappointed. I need my new apprentice to be smarter than that…"

"Your new apprentice…" Anakin repeated, a cold dread gripping his stomach. This was clearly going further than he had thought it would when he came here this morning. In fact, he wasn't sure exactly what he had expected, maybe just to learn one Sith exercise or something; whatever was needed to save Padme's life. He would still be a Jedi but just know the one Sith ability. After all, he had never dreamed that Palpatine had been the Sith Master! He had presumed the elderly politician had stumbled upon the Sith secret from some old dusty tome or something. "You want _me_ to be your new apprentice…"

"Of course I do, Anakin!" Palpatine moved towards him slowly and upon reaching him, placed an arm about his shoulders. "I have always said you were the most powerful Jedi ever and I meant it. Becoming a Sith would double your powers. You'd be unstoppable, totally glorious!"

"But Sith are evil…" Anakin stated. The thin, bony arm of the Sith Master lay across his shoulders and he couldn't believe that he had allowed that to happen. How could his friend and trusted advisor, Palpatine, be the Sith Master? He felt as if the world had suddenly twisted itself inside out and that he was the only one to notice. "Evil is wrong."

"Of course evil is wrong!" Palpatine cooed into his ear as he tightened his grip on his shoulders slightly, hugging him. "But the Sith are not truly _evil_. We're just _different_. And the Jedi fear us because we are different. Come, Anakin, surely you know that society hates those that are different and that don't fit in…"

The young Jedi Knight thought of his years as a Padawan at the Temple and nodded his head. There had been those who hadn't wanted him around and had treated him poorly just because he hadn't been raised in the Jedi Crèche. Some of these people were even Council Members, who should really know better. They hadn't liked that he had known his mother or had had a family life back on Tatooine, even if it had been as a slave. They had probably feared he would bring new ideas with him into the Jedi Temple and contaminate his peers with new dangerous ways of thinking. "Yes, I know that…"

"Do you think I'm evil?" Palpatine asked, an innocent expression on his face. "Have I not done everything to help the Republic?"

"Yes…" Anakin replied uncertainly as he thought of the many events over the years. "But what of Maul and Dooku? Surely they did things against the Republic?"

"Alas, they were bad apprentices, Anakin!" Palpatine frowned and a sad expression came over his face. "I admit I chose them poorly. I had raised Maul at my knee from a very young age and then he betrayed me, running off and joining up with those Trade Federation people! He chose to attack my homeworld of Naboo just to spite me! It shocked me to the core! And Dooku was little better I'm afraid. I had given him the gift of immortality and once he had it, he betrayed me as well! Did he not have that horrid General Grievous kidnap me? Both of the greedy devils had planned on overthrowing me and taking my place as Sith Master."

Anakin studied Palpatine for a moment, but the feelings of sadness, betrayal and heartbreak the old man felt seemed to be genuine. His own feelings were mixed, confused, his mind in turmoil. The Sith were evil and yet they were not. Who was correct, the Jedi or Palpatine?

"And you think I'll make a better apprentice?" Anakin finally asked, uncertainly in his voice. "Even I don't know my own mind sometimes, so how do you know I won't try to betray you as well in the future?"

"Because you are different, Anakin. You are a Jedi that loves. You are willing to risk all to save your dear beloved wife, Padme. That is all I need to know." Palpatine smiled again, a gentle smile and then pulled a small bit of white parchment from within the pocket of his fancy robe. "Here. Go to this address and you can see my minions as proof. To gain entrance tap your fingers on the pointed tooth drawing three times, the _left_ tooth."

Anakin accepted the small scrap of genuine paper, an address scribbled on it. Glancing down, he realized it must be the same alley that Obi-Wan had been in just yesterday. That alone gave him more hope that Palpatine was telling the truth, Sith or not. Maybe the Jedi truly were frightened of the Sith and disliked them for the very reasons he had stated. With a final glance at his old friend and mentor, he left the Chancellor's Office for his airspeeder.

000

Anakin wasted no time at all and went directly to the location on the scrap of paper. Parking his airspeeder in almost the exact location Obi-Wan had used yesterday, he strolled down the crowded side street. His cowl was pulled up over his head, casting his face in deep shadow. All of his senses were alert and his hand hovered near the handle of his lightsaber. Still, he sensed nothing suspicious and no one was paying any attention to him in the slightest. The crowd was just common citizens out doing their shopping or stepping out for a drink.

He reached the alley mouth much quicker than Obi-Wan had as he had been on the proper side of the street to start with and quickly slipped within. It was dimmer in the alley and he waited a few moments for his eyes to adjust. Anakin quickly surmised that this narrow gap wasn't even a proper alley but a thin chasm between three different durasteel skyscrapers. It was littered with old refuse and the bottom parts of the walls were covered in various strange drawings. Stepping over the junk, he scanned the walls for a drawing that had pointed teeth.

He found it way at the back just above his eye level; a pale white face with blood red eyes, red lips and a wicked pair of sharp pointed fangs that grew from the upper jaw, the fangs outlined in black. With all the other graffiti scattered about on the walls, he would have ignored it just as Obi-Wan had. It appeared that people took to drawing whatever they wanted here in fanciful colors and various styles. There were words, airspeeders, assorted aliens, love messages and even something that looked suspiciously like a Jedi with a glowing green lightsaber.

Reaching upward, Anakin pressed his fingertip against the left fang three times and was rewarded with a soft click as a secret door sprung open. The gap was narrow but Anakin had little trouble fitting into it. A dark staircase led downward, dim red lights glowing above on the sloping ceiling. The Jedi hesitated for just a split moment, unsure if he was truly doing the correct thing. What if it was a trap? Traps had never bothered him before, though, and he glided down the steep staircase silently, only the soft rustle of his dark cloak giving him away. The stairs twisted about a few times and then he reached a landing. Straining his ears for the slightest sounds, he heard faint voices from up ahead. Cautiously he approached them and saw light coming through an open doorway.

Boldly Anakin stepped through the archway, his blue eyes shifting around the room quickly. It appeared to be some sort of cantina. There were tables along the wall, a bar with bottles of drink behind it, a large holovision in one corner and a fancy machine for playing music. Two people sat at one of the tables and he instantly recognized both of them. Shock at seeing both alive flickered through him but he crushed the feeling down quickly.

"Dooku! Maul!" Anakin shouted out as he marched towards them, a dark look in his eyes. He knew he was in over his head, as both were expert swordsmen and that there was no way he could take both at the same time. Still, he had a burning desire to interrogate them, to learn their secret for surviving deadly lightsaber attacks. And yes, this was truly Maul and Dooku and not some doppelgangers or hologram. He could feel their unique Force signature filling the room. He may not recognize Maul's but he certainly knew Dooku's!

"Oh, so it's you is it?" Count Dooku remarked dryly as he looked up from the sabacc game he had been playing with Darth Maul. Both had glasses of drinks before them, Maul's blue and Dooku's a deep burgundy. "I should have known you'd be the new apprentice…"

"Why aren't you dead?" Anakin demanded as he stopped before their table. His sharp eyes scanned Dooku's neck and all he saw there was a faint white scar, a scar that was almost invisible. The scar appeared to circle Dooku's neck all the way around and was in the exact spot where he had sliced with the lightsabers. "I chopped your head off myself!"

"Because I am a true Sith, that's why." Count Dooku explained matter-of-factly in his noble voice. "My Master has given me immortality. I surmise he has offered it to you as well and that's why you're here. I offered it to your master, but alas, he wasn't exactly interested."

Anakin's mouth dropped open at the words. "You offered immortality to Obi-Wan?"

"Well, I didn't mention the immortality, of course." Dooku explained as he picked up his glass of red drink and took a sip. "I just offered him the opportunity to join me when we were on Geonosis. I caught him snooping around, you know…"

Anakin stared at him; still not fully believing that Count Dooku was sitting right in front of him, alive and talking.

"It's a pity, really." Dooku continued as he gazed up at Anakin, perfectly calm. "Just think, he could have stayed nice and young…. vibrant, a full head of hair. Ah, to be young again and at your peak…"

"You don't age?" Anakin asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. He was finally beginning to accept the facts before him, that Palpatine had indeed told him the truth.

"The years roll by on the calendar but you stay the same." Dooku explained as he stretched out his hand and pulled a dish of salty nuts off the bar to him with the Force. The Sith took a nut from the bowl and cracked it open easily enough, shaking the nut itself into his palm. "It really is quite nice, except for the fact that your old friends age and die. I must admit I do miss Qui-Gon, my old Padawan. It's why I tried to tempt your master."

Anakin was silent a long moment as he watched Count Dooku pop the nut into his mouth and chew. He just didn't comprehend it at all – was the Dark Side really that strong? How could Dooku have reattached his head and why did it well, stick? And once his head was cut off, well, how could he have summoned the Force at all? "I don't understand how this is possible. Did you use the Force to do this?"

The two Sith started laughing, Maul's laughter ringing out louder than Dooku's.

"No, my young Jedi, I didn't use the Force to reattach my head." Count Dooku admitted, as he started cracking open another nut. "You may think of the Sith as a separate race, ones with a very unique and rare ability. And only a true Sith can share this gift with you."

"And I can use this gift to save another, the one I love?" Anakin asked, verifying the information from Palpatine had been correct.

"Yes, if you pass the gift to that person." Dooku confirmed as he shook the freed nut into his waiting hand. "It is an easy enough thing to do and just takes a minute or so."

Relief flooded Anakin's body at Count Dooku's words. He would be able to save Padme and all he had to do was become a Sith, Palpatine's apprentice. Surely that wasn't so bad, was it? And he would gain immense gifts in return, including immortality! He and Padme could be together, forever!

Then a doubt bit at his mind as he remembered that Padme was pregnant. If she was immortal, would she be able to give birth to his child or would she just remain pregnant forever? "What if the person is pregnant? Could she still give birth as normal if I give her the gift?"

Count Dooku smiled. "So it's the lovely Senator, is it? I always thought you weren't suited for following all of the rules of the Jedi Code. We have more in common than you think, my young friend. As to your question, the gift affects females slightly different. They can still get pregnant, give birth and the children will age as normal until they reach adulthood, then their aging stops."

At his words, Anakin let out the breath he had been holding. It seemed as if this gift was the answer to all of his worries. His little ones would be safe and no one could ever harm them. Padme would be safe as well and his nightmares would vanish. He would have the perfect little family and the Jedi wouldn't be able to take them away from him. No one would. If Count Dooku could survive getting his head sliced off with a lightsaber, then surely there was nothing that could stop them at all. Anakin smiled at the thought.

"So, are you going to accept Palpatine's offer?" Dooku asked, one dark eyebrow rose in curiosity as he stared up at him expectedly.

"I would be a fool not to." Anakin admitted as he felt all of his worries melt away and a great weight vanish off his shoulders. He vowed silently that he would serve Palpatine well and unlike these two, he would remain loyal. If his old politician friend could actually save his family from eminent death, he would owe him a great deal.

"Welcome to the club!" Dooku grinned and shook his hand as Maul patted him on the back. "You'll like being a Sith, trust me. It's far better than being a Jedi."

000

Anakin quickly left the secret Sith nightclub and dashed back to his airspeeder, eager to return to Palpatine's office. He jumped into the vehicle and took off faster than he should. Squeezing into the proper airlane, he soon found himself questioning his own actions. Was he doing the right thing? His whole life as a Jedi had been devoted to destroying the Sith and now he was about to become one. What would Palpatine ask him to do as his apprentice? After thinking about it for a few moments, Anakin was sure he would continue as he was now, fighting the war. The Jedi and Palpatine were on the same side, weren't they?

The confused young Jedi frowned. No, they couldn't be on the same side – yet they were. "It's not Palpatine's fault that Maul and Dooku disobeyed him. He had trusted them and they betrayed him due to their own greed. And he can't kill them because they're immortal, so he tries to limit their powers I guess…"

Yet the Jedi Council didn't exactly trust Palpatine…

More doubt chewed at his soul. He wished he could speak to Obi-Wan about this problem, but he knew he couldn't. His former master would never understand. Nor could he explain about his marriage or that he was going to become a father. No, the Jedi would just see he had broken rules. How could he understand love if he's never been in love? "Blast Jedi and their outdated Code! Why must they see attachment as evil and something to be avoided at all costs? They're all cowards, scared to give up themselves to another in love."

Anakin huffed loudly, releasing some of his agitation into the Force. He knew it took a lot of bravery and courage at admit your love to another, to deal with possible rejection. Is that what frightened them and so they made up convenient excuses so they'd never have to face that situation? Nor had he ever heard of Count Dooku or Darth Maul being in love with anyone. True, he knew nothing of Maul's past and neither did the Jedi, but he doubted if the red-and-black faced alien had a wife somewhere. He certainly knew Palpatine was single. No, they were all apparently greedy. Well, Palpatine wasn't. He was like Padme and truly cared about the people. Why couldn't the Jedi see that? So what if he stayed in office a bit longer than his term? It was war! Changing Supreme Chancellors during the middle of a war seemed like a very stupid thing to do.

Finally reaching the correct building, Anakin landed his airspeeder and hopped out. Like it or not, Palpatine was his only chance of truly saving Padme and he would do anything for her. Marching forward purposely, he entered the building and headed back to the Chancellor's office. To his amazement, no other politicians were waiting to see his friend and he could enter right away.

Palpatine sat behind his desk, a calm expression on his face. He flipped his red screen off once again and it disappeared. "Well, have you considered my offer?"

Anakin marched to the front of the elderly politician's desk, placing both of his hands onto its warm surface for support. He knew his next words would break his oath to the Jedi, but what else could he do? He couldn't stand the nightmares, the idea of losing his true love. Besides, the Supreme Chancellor wasn't evil, not really. He fought for the Republic just as much as the Jedi did. Still, he glanced downward at the floor for a moment, a nervous feeling in his gut. His palms felt sweaty and he resisted the urge to wipe them on his pants. After a deep breath, he lifted his head and stared his old friend in the eyes. "I'll become your new apprentice, just tell me what I must do to save Padme."

A wide grin spread across the Supreme Chancellor's face and the elderly man rose from his chair. "I am truly delighted to hear that, Anakin. You have taken the next step into a much larger universe. The Sith have ruled this galaxy for millennia and we shall do so again. And once we are in control, we'll have peace. This awful war will stop and things will go back to normal."

Palpatine waved his hand, motioning Anakin to come closer. His face seemed to change then; his eyes grew yellow and his skin wrinkled. Still, his face wasn't too bad, no worst than an extremely old human. "I am several thousand years old, My Apprentice, and someday you'll be this old, too. I will teach you how to mask your true appearance from others so they won't suspect your true Sith nature. Until you learn, you must be extremely cautious."

"You're several thousand years old, Master?" Anakin asked, truly amazed as he did as his new master bid, moving closer. Stopping just before Palpatine, he waited expectedly. For what he waited he wasn't sure, but he knew something was going to happen. Unafraid, he stared into the older man's golden yellow eyes. They were a rich yellow, similar to the color of his Jedi Starfighter.

"We are a separate race, a superior race." Palpatine explained as he opened his mouth to reveal a pair of long wicked fangs. His eyeteeth had grown somehow and now they resembled the fangs of a snake. Reaching out, he gripped Anakin by his shoulders, pulling him closer yet. Moving one hand to shove his new apprentice's wavy brown hair away from his neck, Palpatine bent closer and sunk his teeth into the side of his throat.

Anakin's heart pounded in his chest and he felt a sharp pinch as the Sith Master bit him. He felt the fangs sliding in deeper, the dry lips and the hot breath against his neck. The next moment he realized that Palpatine was actually sucking at the new holes in his neck, drinking his blood. There was a brush against his mind then and he felt his new master creating the mental connection. The connection deepened rapidly as he sought a more secure mental bond. And then it was over, Palpatine pulling back from his throat and letting him go. Dizziness seemed to overtake him then and Anakin sunk down onto his knees, falling forward. Bracing himself with his real hand on the plush red carpet, Anakin felt changes in his body as the new infection took root. Something was spreading out from the two puncture holes in his neck and racing through his veins and capillaries, changing his very cells just a bit.

"Arise, Lord Vader." Palpatine commanded from where he stood.

The dizziness was already passing and Anakin carefully got to his feet. He could feel new strength flowing into his limbs and now he understood how Maul had been able to move so smoothly. His other senses were improving, too, his eyesight, hearing, and his sense of smell. The slight stinging on his neck where Palpatine had bit him had faded as well and Anakin knew his skin there was as smooth as before. His wounds would heal by themselves like magic, for he was no longer entirely human. Boldly he stared into his new Master's eyes.

"Ah, you are indeed as powerful as I had hoped!" Palpatine exclaimed as he saw Lord Vader's blood red eyes staring back at him. Sith with red eyes were much more powerful than those with yellow eyes. "You are a powerful Sith indeed!"

"Master, tell me what I must do to save my wife." Anakin simply asked.

"That, my young apprentice, is very simple." Palpatine explained with a grin. "You just need to bite her as I have bitten you."

To be continued…

Author's Note: I think I shall stop here now, as I need to work on a new chapter of "Wish". But yes, this is a Star Wars vampire story. And yes, it's Anakin/Padme (or is it Vader/Padme – He can be Vader without being in the suit I believe). A few more chapters should finish this story I think. Sorry the first chapter was so short and I should add this is the first time watching Episode III inspired me to write anything as its just so depressing (that whole Mustafar thing).


	3. A Visit to Padme

Secret 3

"Bite her?" Anakin asked. "Is that all I need to do?"

"Yes. Then she will be one of us." Palpatine smiled at his new powerful apprentice. "But since she does not have the Force, she will be required to feed for a time. You must provide her with your blood. Twice a week should be sufficient. After a short time she will develop her own Force powers and then she will be just like us."

Anakin wondered how Padme would react to being bit. It hadn't really hurt when Palpatine had bit him, nothing more than a sharp pinch. Still, he had to do it in such a way that she wouldn't grow scared or upset. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He was doing all of this for her, to save her and their unborn child. Planning it out in his mind swiftly, he once again turned his attention to his new Master. "We do not need to feed?"

"No, we have the Force and that is more than enough." Palpatine explained as he raised a hand to wiggle a finger at his new student. "But you must promise me you will not bite anyone else, Lord Vader. And that goes double for Jedi. New Sith sometimes feel the urge to bite those that possess the Force, but you must resist. I cannot have you creating your own apprentices!"

Anakin bowed from the waist slightly. "Yes, Master. I will not bite anyone except my wife. May I go now?"

Palpatine lowered himself into his office chair and the next moment his face changed back as to how he had looked before. The yellow faded from his eyes and his skin grew smooth. "I will soon teach you how to mask your true nature from others, but as of now you just have the red eyes to conceal. Keep your hood up and your face in shadow so people won't notice. Once you have bitten her, return here for your first assignment as my apprentice. You have taken the first step on the road to true power. We will take the rest of them together."

Reaching for his dark brown hood, Anakin pulled the large cowl over his head so it hung slightly in front of him. He had used his hood many times to walk the crowded streets of downtown Coruscant to meet Padme in secret and now his experience would help him hide his red eyes. "Yes, Master. I know you are wise, much wiser than the Jedi."

Palpatine examined him for a moment with a critical eye and then nodded his satisfaction. "You may go. Upon your return I will tell you more of the Sith, but I feel your urge to save Padme from certain doom. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for her. Go and save her now."

"Thank you, Master." Anakin bowed again and then swiftly left the Supreme Chancellor's office. His stride long and fast, he reached his airspeeder and quickly hopped in. The engine roared to life and he took off into the busy traffic lanes. His vision sharper than before, he realized that this must be what a hunting bird felt like. He could see things far away with crystal clarity; the fine carvings on a building across the street and ten levels down, aliens in an airspeeder many lanes away and even people way down on the sidewalk. Exhilaration swept through his body and he felt like he could do anything; perhaps he could even fly without a speeder now. Still, he wouldn't chance it so close to his goal.

Padme's apartment building was in sight now and he headed for it immediately. Landing in the parking lot reserved for airspeeders, he quickly hopped out and headed for the lift. He eyed the others passing him by with suspicious glances from under his cowl but no one paid him any heed. Entering the empty lift, he hit the button for the top floor where his wife lived. Immediately the lift shot upward and Anakin grew slightly nervous again. His palms grew sweaty and he wiped them on his dark brown cloak. What is Padme saw his red eyes before he could bite her? What if she asked him what had happened? Should he tell her the truth or was it better to lie, say it had been some sort of accident that caused the red coloring? The floors zipped by with incredible speed and he still didn't know the correct answer. All too soon he was at the top floor and the doors opened smoothly. Stepping out, Anakin took a deep breath to calm his rattled nerves.

"It doesn't matter if I'm a Sith now. I'm still the same as I was before really." He said to the empty hallway as he smoothed out the cowl that hid his eyes. "It's not like I did anything bad…"

Moving closer to a large curved window, he studied his reflection for a moment to make certain the red eyes was indeed hidden. "What's a little eye color anyway? Some races do have natural red eyes anyway…"

Turning, Anakin made his way to the apartment he shared with Padme. Ringing the buzzer, he waited patiently for the door to be opened. Through the Force he could feel her approaching slowly, careful not to trip over anything less she hurt the baby within. Then the door swooshed open and she was in his arms.

"Oh Ani!" Padme cried happily as she wrapped her arms about him, gently pulling him into their apartment. "I wondered when I would see you next! The War is dragging on so long and it keeps you so busy…"

"I know, but I feel it will end soon and then we can spend more time together." Anakin told her as he pressed his cheek against her soft hair. The sweet scent of her perfume filled his nose and he closed his eyes for a moment, just holding her. Happiness flowed through him and he felt complete. Still, he knew he had to bite her if he was to save her. Oddly enough, he was a little loath to actually do it. Her skin was so soft and delicate…and what if he didn't do it right? Palpatine hadn't actually told him how to bite her. Was there a special way to do it? Anakin tried to push the doubts away but they were there, hovering at the back of his mind.

"Oh, Ani, will this awful war ever end? It seems to be growing worst every day and more star systems are joining the other side…" Padme rested her head on his shoulder, a gentle sigh escaping her lips. "I don't want our child to be born into this time of war…"

"I don't think we have a choice." Anakin replied as he ran his real hand through her soft waves of hair. Should he bite her now, before she asks why he has kept his hood up? Deciding it would be easier that way; Anakin bent his head and kissed her on the cheek. "I've missed you…"

Anakin kissed her on the lips, a soft lingering kiss, and then he allowed his mouth to slide down to her neck. He could feel her steady pulse beating under his lips, something he had felt many times before. Padme was relaxed in his arms, her eyes closed with pleasure. He could feel her through the Force and knew she trusted him entirely. Besides, he had kissed her many times on the neck since they had gotten married and thus she had no reason to expect he was about to bite her. He felt a strange tingling sensation in his gums then and he felt his eyeteeth growing into long fangs. Even more surprising was the fact that he could smell her sweet blood right through her skin. Normally he disliked the coppery stink of blood but now it smelled different, good. Still, he hesitated.

Biting her won't harm her it'll save her.

He ran the tips of his fangs along her skin and heard her giggle.

"Ani, that tickles!"

Encouraged, he bit down and sunk his teeth in part way. He felt her surprise through the Force but he knew it hadn't been painful. He didn't want to bite her any more than he had to, no; he just wanted to infect her with the magic Sith bug. He gently pulled his fangs out and felt something hot and wet shoot into his mouth. He knew what it was, of course, but he tried not to think about it too much. Still, it surprised him that it tasted somewhat good. He knew the dizziness would hit her soon and he was ready, his arms wrapped about her when it hit. Anakin picked her up easily and carried her into their shared bedroom.

000

Obi-Wan searched for Anakin in all of the usual spots, eager to tell him the new shocking news about the Sith. Out of all of the Jedi in the Order, for some strange reason it always seemed to be the two of them that had to battle the Sith. First he had faced Darth Maul and then together they had faced Count Dooku twice. "Where in the blast did he go?"

He had spent a good chunk of the morning searching the Jedi Temple for his former Padawan without any luck. He wasn't in any of the sparring rooms, he wasn't in his own quarters and he wasn't in their former shared quarters either. He had dutifully looked in the swimming pool where Younglings learned to swim, in the Archives and in the junk room where Anakin often scrounged droid parts. Nor was he in the gardens, the cafeteria or in the hangar where he kept his Jedi Starfighter. But Obi-Wan noticed his airspeeder was missing. "So, you went off somewhere…"

Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan concentrated on his bond with Anakin to see if he could determine where he was. A strong feeling of happiness came through loud and clear, which was really quite odd as Anakin had been very moody of late. In fact, Obi-Wan had been worried about him, wondering if the pressure of the war was getting to him. Then he had admitted to having another nightmare. Why was he suddenly happy? Concentrating on their bond further, Obi-Wan tried to see his current location. Slowly a foggy image of a very familiar building formed. "What is he doing there? There's a new Sith threat and he's off visiting the Senator from Naboo! I hope he's not doing anything inappropriate!"

Obi-Wan had noticed years ago that his headstrong apprentice was attracted to the Senator and had questioned the Council's judgment of forcing the two together. The Council hadn't seemed concerned, however, and didn't think much of it. Or perhaps they viewed it as a test and had been certain that Anakin would do the proper thing. He had done the proper thing, hadn't he? Obi-Wan was sure he had. But if he had, why was he now visiting the Senator? Did the two actually have a friendship, something besides the security guard job Anakin had done for her in the past?

Walking a few feet, Obi-Wan climbed into his airspeeder. Turning it on, he maneuvered it out of the bay in the Jedi Temple where it had been parked and climbed up into the correct airlane. Although he generally hated flying, he didn't mind normal traffic at all. No, it was getting shot at while flying through the center of an asteroid belt that he hated or that horrible mess from a few days ago up above Coruscant. He had thought that had been the end of him, but as usual Anakin had saved his life. In fact, Anakin was always saving his life, something the other loved pointing out to him.

A short time later Obi-Wan pulled out of the traffic lane and smoothly drifted down to the landing pad for Senator Amidala's building. There was an empty spot right next to Anakin's airspeeder and Obi-Wan took it. Getting out of the airspeeder, the Jedi stared up at the towering skyscraper and sighed. He hated politicians and now he had to go see her again. What was Anakin doing up there anyway?

Wishing he could put it off but knowing he couldn't, Obi-Wan crossed the parking area towards the lift. The lift, however, was in use higher up so he'd have to wait.

000

Anakin lay on the bed he shared with Padme, watching her with rapt interest. He could feel the change course through her body through the Force and knew the small bite he had given her had been successful. He was resting on his side, propped up on one elbow. He had finally removed his cloak and now his eyes were clearly visible. Were they still blood red? He wasn't sure, as he didn't want to get up and leave her until he knew for certain she was all right.

"Ani?" Padme slowly said as her long dark lashes trembled and then her eyes opened. Instead of their usual chocolate brown, her eyes were more of a golden honey brown. Padme blinked again, yawned and then sat up slowly. "What happened?"

"You fainted and I carried you here." Anakin replied honestly, knowing the bite had made her feel dizzy. His heart was thudding quickly in his chest and his breathing was slightly faster than normal. He knew any minute she'd notice his red eyes and then the questions would start. Would she understand why he had done what he did? He hoped so, as he had done it all for her.

"I … I feel slightly strange…" Padme admitted as she slowly looked around the room, a strange mix of wonder and fear on her face. "My eyes … it's like I can see better somehow! Oh, Ani, what has happened to me?"

"You'll be all right." He reassured her as he leaned closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about…"

Padme lifted her eyes to his face then, noticing his odd eye color for the first time. Her eyes widened in shock. "Ani! You're eyes – they're red! What has happened to you?"

"Shhhhhh, it's nothing to worry about, Padme. I'm fine." Anakin reassured her in a soft voice. "I just discovered some new powers is all. It'll save us, the three of us, you, our child and me. Nothing can harm us now."

"What do you mean?" She asked, truly perplexed. Then a thought flickered across her face and realization dawned in her eyes. "Oh, Ani, you're still not distressed about that nightmare, are you? Everyone has nightmares! It's perfectly normal and I know they can seem truly frightening, but you can't let them control your life. I'll be perfectly fine. Coruscant has some of the best hospitals you know. Our baby will be fine and so will I. I think you're just nervous about becoming a father, especially since it's such a big secret. Carrying that secret has put a lot of stress on you and this war just makes it worst…"

Anakin blinked his red eyes at her. "Do you think so?"

"Yes, of course I do!" Padme exclaimed, a slightly worried expression forming on her face as she stared into his red eyes. "Are you sure you're OK? I mean, it is normal for Jedi eye color to change like that? Should I call Master Obi-Wan?"

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked, suddenly realized he sensed the Jedi's familiar presence coming closer and closer. He had been so busy with Padme, biting her and watching her nap that he had forgotten to mask his current presence from his Master. "He's here. He must have sensed my presence through our training bond."

Padme glanced down at her swollen stomach. Just one look and she knew that the Jedi would figure it out easily. Besides, he could probably sense the life growing inside her; she knew Anakin could. And robes could only hide so much. "Maybe … maybe we should tell him the truth, Ani. That would take some of this pressure off you."

"He's on the Council." Anakin replied as he slowly climbed off the bed, uncertain what he should do. He could go to meet Obi-Wan in the outer hallway, outside Padme's apartment. Or he could meet him in the apartment. What would be better? Either way, he was certain that Obi-Wan wouldn't be so dense about his new eye color or would he?

"But you're on the Council, too!" Padme pointed out as she slowly shifted her weight to get off the bed. With her large stomach it wasn't easy and her back often ached. She felt more like a Hutt these days than a human with all the extra weight she carried.

"Only because of Palpatine." Anakin truly had no idea what would happen now that he was a Sith. He hadn't thought that far ahead. He had just wanted to save Padme and he had done that, a great weight lifting off his leather-clad shoulders. But what was he to do now? Did he need to avoid the Temple and all the other Jedi? Supposedly, as they thought the Sith were their enemy. Yet he was no different now than he had been the night before.

"Oh, just tell him!" Padme huffed as she made it to her feet, one hand on the bed for support. "And if you don't tell Obi-Wan about those odd eyes, I will! Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself in that awful crash the other day?"

"Yes, I'm fine!" Anakin insisted feeling slightly annoyed. "My eyesight is better than ever. It's just these new abilities I discovered…"

Padme's hand rose to her neck, touching it where he had bitten her. He could see the memory of the bite awakening in her yellow-brown eyes. "You … you bit me, didn't you? This new power, did … did you give it to me? Is that why I feel … strange?"

"Yes, I gave it to you." Anakin moved forward swiftly and wrapped her in his arms, holding her close but not too tightly due to her large stomach. Bending forward slightly, he pressed his cheek against her soft black hair. "We'll be together now, forever. And you needn't worry about me getting injured any longer, because that isn't a concern anymore. We're immortal now, Padme."

"Immortal? But Ani, how?"

Anakin could feel the confusion swirling around inside her head like a typhoon, the billions of unasked questions. How could he explain it to her? He couldn't use the word Sith, could he? If he did, it might frighten her and that he didn't want. No, he wasn't evil like those other two. Anakin tried to assemble his thoughts into some sort of order, something that would make sense to her.

Just then the door buzzer rang signaling that Obi-Wan had finally arrived in the outer hallway. He could feel his Master's presence, warm and comforting. Could he really tell Obi-Wan about his marriage? Turning, Anakin headed out of the bedroom to go answer the door. He paused long enough at the sofa to pick up his long dark brown cloak. Then a new idea popped into his head and a grin spread out across his face.

Making certain his back was to the apartment door; he moved his hand so the door slid open. Anakin made himself look busy by pulling his cloak on, the long length of material filling with air as he swirled it about his shoulders.

"Anakin, there you are!" Obi-Wan said as he hurried into the apartment, the door swooshing closed behind him. "I have found out some startling news about the Sith…"

"So have I, Master." Anakin replied as he fastened the cloak about his neck securely and pulled up the cowl. "So have I."

To Be continued…


	4. Obi-Wan

Secret 4

Note: Yes, I'm updating and trying to finish my old stories.

"Well, what have you found out?" Obi-Wan asked his former apprentice turned brother. The older Jedi stood there with his hands on his hips and looking slightly annoyed. He stared at Anakin's back. He seemed to be taking his time, fussing with his cloak while they had Sith to catch! "And how did you find anything out anyway? I was the one down in the Jedi Archives reading dusty data disks! And what are you doing here anyway? You have no business bothering the Senator. That assignment is long over."

"Because Master," Anakin replied as he finished fastening the cloak about his neck. "I went straight to the source…"

"The source? What in the Force does that mean?" The words had confused Obi-Wan as they made no sense at all. "Anakin, stop blabbering nonsense!"

"But it's not nonsense Obi-Wan…" Anakin insisted as he finally turned; the cowl of his dark brown cloak pulled forward over his face. It cast his features in darkness and he hoped it hid his new red eyes. He sniffed at the air then, his nostrils flaring. There was a new tantalizing scent in the air but he was unsure where it was coming from. It was rich and sweet, the most delicious thing he had smelled in a long time and it sent a fresh burst of saliva into his mouth. He licked his lips then, wetting them slightly. Suddenly he was hungry, very hungry…

Obi-Wan stood still in Padme's apartment, sensing something was different. His blue eyes scanned about the nicely furnished living room. He still didn't know what Anakin had been doing here and he didn't like that. He was too attracted to that Senator and he couldn't really trust him to do the proper thing. Anakin often acted on instinct, like leaping out of airspeeders without warning. There was movement in the far doorway, a pale hand appeared. A moment later Padme herself was visible. His mouth dropped open as he took in her hugely swollen stomach, one hand cupped underneath it. She leaned heavily on the doorjamb for support, her dark hair hanging free about her shoulders.

"Master Jedi…" Padme called to him. "Please, I need your help. Anakin has done something to me…"

"I'd say he's done something!" Obi-Wan declared in shock. He could feel the new life in the room with them now, the life that existed inside her swollen stomach. He had never spent much time around pregnant woman and hardly ever seen any before, so it was a big shock to see how huge she had grown. He watched the younger man run to help her, wrapping an arm about her and helping her to the orange sofa. Once she was seated he heard her sigh in relief, Anakin perched on the sofa next to her. The sofa faced the huge window and busy air traffic rumbled past in the airlanes. The view was breathtaking, the cityscape stretching out before them. Even the Jedi Temple was visible in the far distance. The light from the window fell on her, lighting her face.

"No, I don't mean this…" Padme laid a hand on her stomach, rubbing it gently. "He's …"

"Hush, Padme." Anakin tried to sooth her, his voice gentle. "It will be fine."

Anakin truly wanted to believe his own words that it would be fine but he had never expected for his former Master to catch them. Obi-Wan wasn't supposed to know about the baby or about the marriage. It was against the rules of the Jedi and he feared what may happen if the Jedi found out. He was sure Obi-Wan would tell them, wouldn't he? Of course he would! He followed all of the rules and was the perfect Jedi. But he had never been in love and couldn't understand. Padme was like air to him. He couldn't stay away from her and he desired to possess her. Luckily, she had desired him too and so they had gotten married in secret. And now was the worst time to get caught as he was a newly born Sith.

That tantalizing smell was in the air still. If anything it had grown stronger. He had never smelled anything like it before and he frantically tried to guess what it could be. He felt an odd pressure on his gums then and realized his fangs were growing! Then Palpatine's words came back to him, that sometimes new Sith desired to bite Force users like Jedi. Ever so slowly Anakin lifted his eyes from Padme to the Jedi. Obi-Wan was standing by the window staring at them, his hands on his hips. It dawned on him that the delicious odor he smelled was coming from his Master!

"No, Anakin, I'm going to tell him!" Padme insisted as she lifted a hand and placed it on her husband's shoulder. "Ani, I know you must be worried out of your mind, but this is the best thing to happen to us! Now you don't have to carry this burden alone. Obi-Wan will help you! But I have to tell him…"

Anakin tried to listen to her words. He knew what she was saying was important but he couldn't concentrate on them at all. That mouthwatering aroma was overpowering everything else and all he could do was stare with hunger at his unsuspecting Master. He instinctively knew that Obi-Wan hadn't sensed the change in him yet, hadn't noticed his hidden red eyes…no, he was sidetracked by Padme's more prominent display of late pregnancy. Ever so slowly he ran his tongue over the long fangs in his mouth. The points were extremely sharp and made for piercing skin. He could imagine how wonderful it would be to bite him, to quench this thirst…

"Tell me what?" Obi-Wan asked in utter confusion as he waved a hand at her swelled body. "How could you allow this to happen? You know it's forbidden!"

"Ani is ill I fear!" Padme blurted out as she wrung her hands in worry. "He's not been himself since he arrived here today and his eyes look wrong! I fear they were damaged in that crash! Please Master Jedi, help my husband! He should go to the medics…"

Obi-Wan blinked, the unexpected words confusing him. He narrowed his eyes and stared at her. While he was nowhere as close to the Senator as Anakin, he had always thought her eyes had been dark. If that was the case, then why did they suddenly look yellowish? The Jedi stepped forward so he could see her better. The light from the window was falling on her and he could see her face clearly. Was it some sort of reflected light from something? "Senator, are you all right? Your eyes look strange. They have this yellowish cast to them…"

Anakin tensed his muscles as he prepared to spring. That smell was driving him insane and he just had to feed! The next second he leaped from the sofa, his arms outstretched for the unsuspecting Jedi. Obi-Wan had stupidly moved closer and within easy range due to his curiosity and concern over his wife.

"Wha…." Obi-Wan blurted in shock as Anakin sprung at him without warning. He got a glimpse of glowing red eyes that resembled bits of burning coal and sharp fangs protruding from his open mouth. A look of hunger was on his face and for a split second he felt that hunger coming through their link. Then the younger man collided into him, knocking him over. He crashed to the carpeted floor, landing hard on his back with the other on top of him. Red hot panic shot through him as his thoughts swirled around in wild chaos. Before he could even think of doing something he felt Anakin press he hot mouth against his bare throat. Suddenly it became all too obvious what was going to happen. He frantically tried to shove Anakin off of him, to call on the Force for aid, but it was too late. Anakin's fangs pierced his skin, biting at his jugular. It felt like a sharp pinch and not the flesh-tearing injury he had feared. He felt the teeth slip out of the freshly made punctures and then Anakin started to suck hungrily.

_By the Force, he's drinking my blood!_

The room seemed to start spinning then as the Jedi grew dizzy, his head stuffed like cotton for the moment. His body felt especially weak and he could barely lift his hand in a lame attempt to shove Anakin away. And he could sense himself changing as something moved outward from the bite and started to take him over.

"Anakin!" Padme exclaimed loudly, fear tinting her voice. "What are you doing?"

Some part of Anakin heard her cries but he quickly dismissed them at not important. Hot blood filled his mouth, salty and sweet. It just tasted so good!

Padme heaved herself off of the sofa and slowly bent, reaching for her husband. He didn't seem to hear her words and that worried her greatly. There was something wrong with him, seriously wrong with him. In all of her life she could never imagine Anakin attacking Obi-Wan like this! With great difficulty and her legs spread wide to keep her balance, she managed to grasp a handful of his long wavy hair. Pulling for all she was worth, she tried to yank him off of the Jedi. "Anakin, stop! You're going to kill him!"

His mouth was pulled away from the feast and Anakin blinked his red eyes, suddenly feeling confused. Ever so slowly his senses came back to him and he realized he was sitting on top of Obi-Wan's stomach. His former master and good friend was laying prone on the floor, a dazed look on his face. Confusion swirled around in his head as he didn't understand why they were on the floor like this.

Then he noticed the blood on Obi-Wan's neck, the two tiny puncture holes.

A hot burst of fear flooded him then, his chest constricting tightly as he recalled the bloodlust he had felt just moments before. Palpatine had warned him about this and had ordered him not to bite any other Jedi, but he hadn't said it would be like this! Being near Padme had not triggered such a powerful desire to feed and so he hadn't been prepared at all.

And as he stared at the puncture wounds, his emotions numb, the skin knitted itself back together and the wounds vanished.

He had just created another Sith!

Palpatine was going to be furious with him!

Anakin desperately thought of what he should do and his mind came up blank. He just didn't know. He quickly scrambled off of the Jedi and instead knelt beside him, one hand placed on the other's shoulder. "Obi-Wan? Are you all right?"

The Jedi seemed to come to his senses then and sat up, his eyes locked on Anakin. "You bit me! What in the Force is wrong with you?"

Anakin duly noted that the other's eyes were now a fierce red. He sighed, knowing there was no help for it now. He had turned the Jedi into a Sith. He had done exactly what Palpatine had warned him not to, creating an apprentice. The unusual thought made Anakin pause. Was it true, was he now the Master and Obi-Wan was his apprentice? If so, could he now control the other's actions somehow, stop him from blabbing to the Council?

"Anakin! Your eyes!" Obi-Wan blurted out as he pointed a trembling hand at the younger man's red eyes. "You're a Sith!"

"So are you…" Anakin calmly explained as he knelt on the floor waiting to see what the former Jedi would do.

"I am not a Sith!" Obi-Wan insisted as he slowly climbed to his feet. "Don't be absurd! Just because you bit me that does not mean I'm a Sith!"

"But that's how it happens, how it spreads…" Anakin also rose to his feet, his cowl no longer hiding his new appearance. "You see, I found the Sith Master. That's what I meant when I said I went to the source."

"But how…?" Obi-Wan's mouth dropped open, shocked. He heard the words but couldn't believe it, even with the proof staring him in the face. "We've been searching for him forever and you just find him like that?"

"It's Palpatine…" Anakin explained as he turned to gaze out the window at the never ending traffic. "He offered to make me immortal and we are now, the three of us. We won't ever die or grow old. And we're immune to everything it seems. I saw Dooku earlier today and his head is back on his body. He was eating nuts and playing sabacc with Maul."

"What? That's impossible!" Obi-Wan blurted but he feared it was true. He had seen Maul, had he not? He knew in his heart it had been Maul. If what Anakin was saying was really true, then it would be impossible to destroy the Sith. Feeling depressed, Obi-Wan collapsed onto the orange sofa, his face in his hands. "We'll never beat them now…"

Anakin helped his wife to the sofa and seated her next to Obi-Wan. He stood there staring at the two, clueless as to what to do next. He hadn't planned on biting his former Master, it had just happened. Did Palpatine know? Would he get angry if he did? "What do we do next?"

"We have to go to the Council with this…" Obi-Wan stated as he lifted his face from his hands. "The Council knows the second form of Sith exists but knows very little of them. Perhaps we could prove useful in discovering what can kill them…"

"But they'll kill us!" Anakin blurted without thinking.

"And that is exactly the problem – they can't kill us." Obi-Wan reminded him with a frown. "Sith seem to be immune to everything, even lightsabers slicing their heads off. What else is left?"

"I don't know…" Anakin shrugged. In his heart he knew going to the Council was the right thing but he was scared to do it, too. What would they say? What would they do? He feared they may separate him from his beloved Padme as well and he couldn't stand that at all.

Obi-Wan stood and moved towards the door. "Come along, Anakin. The Council will want to know how this thing spreads…"

TBC…


	5. Trip to the Temple

Secret of the Sith 5

Note: I admit I got writer's block on this chapter about half way through but I got past it. I also think this story may be coming near the end. I created a poll on my user profile on what Star Wars story I should work on next once this one is finished. If you have a moment, then please go vote.

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"Master, I don't think we should go to the Jedi Temple…" Anakin said as he stood still in the middle of Padme's living room, the busy traffic of Coruscant zipping by behind him through the window. His very pregnant wife rested on the orange sofa nearby, concern still all over her face over the recent shocking events. She appeared lost and confused. He could feel the turmoil whirling about in her mind like a cyclone. The Jedi-turned Sith Lord was torn on what he should do. He wanted to stay and comfort his wife but he couldn't allow Obi-Wan to walk into a mess either. If Obi-Wan were good at one thing, it was getting himself almost killed. Only his intervention saved his unlucky master from certain death.

"But we have to, Anakin." Obi-Wan paused in the doorway. He turned to look at the younger man. "It's where we work, remember? We are both on the Council and we have a responsibility to report this!"

"I realize that, Obi-Wan, but you don't realize the danger involved. If we go there, we'll end up biting everyone we see and then there will be tons of Sith running around." Anakin felt ashamed about what he had done. The sweet coppery taste was still in his mouth and he knew he should find it revolting, but didn't. He lowered his gaze to the floor as if studying the carpet fibers. "You don't understand how all-consuming it is, not yet."

"Anakin, I'm not going to bite anyone! Unlike you, I can control myself." The Jedi's red eyes shifted from Anakin to Padme's gigantic swollen stomach. "It's clear you lost any control you had months ago."

"But you will lose control." Anakin replied as he stared the other in the eyes now, his chin tilted higher than normal and his voice confident. "That rich aroma will wiggle its way into your nose and then feeding is all you'll think about. I didn't want to bite you but the smell of your blood drove me insane. It was all I could think about and then I just sprung at you. I couldn't control myself at all. If you go to the Temple, the same thing will happen."

"Wait!" Padme burst into their conversation. Her eyes were red and especially large. "What do you mean you're Sith now? I don't understand! You're Jedi!"

Obi-Wan sighed but came back into the room with quick strides. "It appears, Senator, that Sith are not as we thought them to be. Instead of a person using the Force for evil, it seems to be spread by biting someone. This is something we never knew before. It's like a disease."

"But… but… a Sith!" Padme exclaimed as she tried to grasp the unexpected situation. "Ani, how could you, how could you become a Sith?"

"I had to save you Padme!" He replied as he knelt before her and gripped her hand tightly. The images from the horrible nightmare were still in his mind. How could he ignore them? He had suffered dreams about his mother and they had come true. "I couldn't let you die, I just couldn't! Don't you see I can't live without you?"

"But it was just a nightmare, Ani, a dream! It wasn't real! How could you change all of our lives for a dream?" She protested as she stared at his new red eyes. She had never seen red eyes on a human before and they looked wrong, creepy even. They were a bright red like a ripe tomato and had a tiny black dot in the center for the pupil. Did her eyes look that way now? How could she ever face herself in the mirror?

"All is not lost, Senator." Obi-Wan replied calmly as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We have made a new discovery on the Sith and that must be worth something. Perhaps it spreads via a virus in the saliva and a cure could be found…"

Anakin heard Obi-Wan's words but didn't believe them. The older man was always looking on the bright side of things but Anakin knew the galaxy didn't work that way. Things could go wrong and they did, still he appreciated that his friend was trying to calm Padme. Besides, he didn't really want to be cured. He was immortal now, invincible. Why would he want to give that up? He thought of all of the good he could do this way, all of the lives he could save. No more droid arms or suffering through horrid pain and then later physical therapy as he learned how to use the fake arm. He shifted his gaze off of his wife and onto the older man. "This is a good thing, Obi-Wan. Don't you see, I gave you a gift! Now you'll never suffer the pain that I have gone through when I lost my arm to Dooku."

"A good thing!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, shocked beyond words. "Anakin, what is wrong with you? Being a Sith is not a good thing! I can see how it is helpful to learn about Sith so we can destroy them, but it is not a good thing!"

"But think of all of the good we can do, year after year and now we won't grow old. We can continue to fight, to be the heroes this galaxy needs."

Obi-Wan sighed. "All of this hero stuff has gone to your head. Jedi are not heroes and we do not crave the spotlight. Nor do we crave excitement; we just do what is necessary."

"Please Master Jedi, forgive my husband's words!" Padme begged Obi-Wan with her now red eyes. "He has been under awful stress from hiding our relationship. Now that you know of it, I'm sure things will get better."

"Let's go to the Jedi Council, Anakin. We have much to report." Obi-Wan reached for his belt and soon pulled something out of one of the little containers attached there. It was a face mask with a filter that slid over the nose and mouth. It was meant to be used in bad environments but he hoped it would help with the odor that Anakin had mentioned. "Use your filter."

"I hope this works…" Anakin felt trepidation as he pulled it free and attached it to his face. He was uncertain if it kept out odors, as technically odors were harmless. It was really meant for smoke, poisonous fumes and other dangerous things that might be in the air. The scent of someone's blood certainly was not considered dangerous.

After saying farewell to his wife, the two ex-Jedi left Padme's apartment and rode the lift down to the main door of the building. There they climbed into Anakin's airspeeder and flew towards the Jedi Temple.

"Are you sure we should do this? What if we lose control? What if they use us for test subjects?" A thousand thoughts ran through the young man's head, all bad. He pictured himself chained up in a dark dungeon as Jedi tried to kill him with various objects. As far as he knew, the Jedi never had a captive Sith before and he could imagine them drooling at the mouth to get their eager little hands on one. "I won't enjoy being a guinea pig."

"Anakin, you're thinking negatively again!" Obi-Wan fumed at the inability of his former student to think positive about anything. "How many times must I tell you not to do that?"

"But that's the reality of the world, Obi-Wan. I don't wear blinders like you do. I grew up a slave and I know reality for what it is. People are often too happy to take advantage of others, the Jedi Council included I'm sure. They'll take one look at our red eyes and will doom us to death on the spot. They're very prejudice."

Obi-Wan snorted. "I don't believe that. I admit you had a tough childhood but the Council is not like that. They will not condone us for eye color! We have not done anything worthy of such a severe punishment. I suspect they will take some blood samples and such, but we will not be guinea pigs."

Anakin approached the landing bay and landed the airspeeder smoothly. He jumped out and approached the door to the interior of the building with much foreboding. They were just in luck that this particular landing bay was empty at the moment for otherwise they would be in trouble he feared. He still couldn't forget what the simple scent of Obi-Wan's blood had done to him and he feared it may happen again. But the older Jedi was resolute in going to see the Council and he feared the Temple may yet run red with blood. Once that happened, there would be no stopping it. It would spread like wildfire. He stretched his senses outward and realized the hall on the other side of the door was empty. It was safe to proceed so he opened the door and led the way, his long brown cloak flowing behind him.

"If anything happens, just remember I warned you." He shifted his gaze for a moment to the older Jedi beside him and then back to where he was going. So far the filter seemed to be functioning but then no Jedi were in sight either. He pulled his cowl up over his head so the cloth put his face in deep shadow. With a hand motion, he indicated Obi-Wan should do the same and the once-Jedi did so.

Luck was with them as they moved down the long glistening hallway. Normally there would be many Jedi about but the Clone Wars was keeping them extremely busy. They rounded a corner and came face to face with a Youngling. He was an Ithorian, his skin a light grayish-yellow. It was obvious he must have temporarily stepped out of Master Yoda's lightsaber class, as he clutched the practice blade in his hand and the metal helmet was perched on his head. The alien's eyes were located on either side of his head and they focused on them. Ithorians were often nicknamed the "hammerhead" aliens although they disliked that description greatly. "Good morning Master Kenobi, good morning Master Skywalker…"

Obi-Wan stopped dead in his tracks, his red eyes locked on the Youngling. There was something in the air, a tantalizing odor…

Before Obi-Wan knew what was happening, something gripped him about the wrist and dragged him off down the corridor at a rapid pace. He turned his head to look back at the slightly confused Youngling who was left standing there alone. And then the Youngling vanished from sight as he was hauled around a corner. The ex-Jedi could feel his senses and rational returning to him and he sighed in relief. He shifted his gaze to Anakin, whom he noted was still clutching his wrist tightly. "I…I never experienced anything like that before…that _smell_…"

"It seems we can avoid it if we leave the area immediately, but that won't always work." Anakin replied as his eyes fell on a cleaning droid that was coming down the hall. He quickly went up to it, shutting it off with a quick click of a button. Opening it up, he dipped his fingers into some gooey grease that was used to lubricate the moving parts. Standing, he held his hand out and moved towards his former Master.

"Anakin, what are you doing with that grease?" Obi-Wan managed to ask, a wary look in his red eyes. Before he could protest, the filter mask was lifted and a glob of grease was smeared right under his nose. The stuff smelled atrocious, the scent similar to oil. Then realization dawned in his eyes. "Very clever, my former padawan."

"I hope this works better than the filters…" Anakin noted that the scent of the Youngling had affected Obi-Wan more than himself, probably because he had already fed. He quickly smeared the grease under his own nose and put his filter back in place. The grease itself was harmless. He certainly had gotten enough of it smeared on his hands over the years to know that.

"It certainly smells strong enough!" Obi-Wan commented as he continued down the corridor towards the lift that would take them to the Jedi Council Chamber. "I swear I can't smell anything but this oily stench…"

They reached the lift without any further encounters and soon were traveling upward. The Jedi Council Chamber was located in a tall tower, almost at the very top. It provided the esteemed Jedi with a breathtaking view of Coruscant, not that the Jedi Masters cared about such things. The lights flickered in the lift as they traveled upward and they both sensed soon they would be there. Then the lift doors opened with a slight hiss and the circular room was before their eyes.

A lone Jedi Master sat on his beige cushion, his chin in his hand. It was clear Master Mace Windu was deep in thought about things, his eyes closed. Sensing someone was there; he opened them and looked upon them expectedly. "Yes, what news do you have?"

"We have made an important discovery about the Sith…" Obi-Wan stated as he moved into the room. He was a Jedi Master himself now, on the Council but he moved to stand in the center of the room instead of sitting on his cushion. He felt uneasy, doubt in his mind if the grease would really work. That short burst he had felt upon meeting that Youngling had been disturbing, very disturbing. He had never experienced anything like that in his life and he hoped to never again.

"Oh, and what is that?" Master Mace asked.

"Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Master we've been looking for…" Anakin told Mace without hesitation.

"Are you certain? That's a serious accusation…" Mace seemed to come alive then, his sleepy posture from deep thought vanishing in an instant.

"Yes, except he's a Type Two Sith…" Obi-Wan quickly added before Mace could get any ideas of running off to face Palpatine. "Lightsabers won't take him out as you very well know. And we have found out something else as well: it's spread by biting."

"Biting?" Mace rose from his cushion, frowning at the news. He took a few steps closer to them, his frown increasing as the skin about his eyes creased with confusion. "What do you mean, biting? And why are you wearing those filters on your faces?"

"It seems the Type Two Sith are more akin to a disease, carried by a virus possibly and we've been infected." Obi-Wan admitted. He removed the cowl from his head, allowing Mace to see his blazing red eyes.

"You're a Sith!" Mace exclaimed.

"Yes, but I'm still me. I do admit that Jedi smell … tempting. It's obvious though that Palpatine can control himself around Jedi, so with time we should learn control, too." Obi-Wan stood there calmly, trusting that Master Mace would make the correct decision. Unlike Anakin who seemed to see everything in the negative, he trusted the Council and their wisdom.

"This is troubling news indeed…" Mace replied as he paced before the two newly born Sith. "I had no idea that it was spread in such a way. You have discovered more within a short time than we have in hundreds of years. How did you ever find this out?"

"Palpatine asked me to be his new apprentice…" Anakin explained as he tried to keep himself calm. He reached for his center, willing it to be still and at peace but he still felt nervous. He kept thinking that things would go wrong, that the Jedi would now see him as the enemy just because of his eye color. "Then he bit me and I, I accidentally bit Obi-Wan. I didn't mean to, it just happened. Palpatine did say that Jedi often smell delicious to Sith and we will get the urge to bite them…"

His stomach twisting in turmoil and his heart thudding in his ears, Anakin waited for Master Mace's verdict while fearing the worst.

"Relax Anakin…" Obi-Wan said softly as he placed a calming hand on the other's shoulder.

"So Palpatine thinks you're his apprentice, huh? This may be the opportunity we need!" Mace exclaimed with fervor. "If you could discover the secret to killing Sith…"

"I doubt if he will tell me that." Anakin didn't see Palpatine doing that at all. The old man was thousands of years old and he was clever. He would never be so careless. "Why would he? He wants to stay the Master Sith."

"I realize that, but the secret must be somewhere…" Mace paced up and back some more. "The Medics need to examine the both of you. Maybe we can isolate whatever it is in your blood…we need to discover the secret of the Sith!"

The two were ordered to report to the Medical Section and they left, Master Mace already calling for Yoda on the com.

To be continued…


End file.
